Spinning toy having an extensible skirt



Oct. 24, 1967 s. REYNOLDS 3,348,334

SPINNING TOY HAVING AN EXTENSIBLE SKIRT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1965 IN VENTdR.

BY MAHONEY,MILLER &R

AMBO BY ATTORNEYS Oct. 24, 1967 s. REYNOLDS 3,348,334

SPINNING TOY HAVING AN EXTENSIBLE SKIRT Filed Feb. 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 HLUII;

BY MAHONEY,M!L ER & RAMBO ATTO RN E Y5 United States Patent 3,348,334 SPINNING TOY HAVING AN EXTENSIBLE SKIRT Schuyler Reynolds, 3068 E. 13th Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43219 Filed Feb. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,207 2 Claims. (Cl. 46119) This invention relates to a spinning toy having an extensible skirt. It has to do, more specifically, with a spinning toy, for example, a plunger-type top, which is provided with a flexible skirt that is movable from a normally retracted position to an expanded or extended position by means of centrifugal force created by the spinning of the toy.

Preferably, this invention is embodied in a toy of the spinning type wherein the spinning may be accomplished in various ways. The top preferably takes the form of an animate figure with some article of apparel which it is desired to extend or expand to give a swirling or pirouette effect. In the example shown in the drawings, the figure simultated is that of a clown and the extensible skirt may correspond to the collar of his costume but the figure could be, for example, that of a ballerina dancer, with the extensible skirt corresponding to the skirt of the dancers costume. However, many other figures with varying costumes may be simulated with the extensible skirt corresponding to various portions of the costume. In fact, it is not necessary to simulate any figure or costume since the expansion and contraction of the flexible skirt, in accordance with varying centrifugal forces at varying speeds of spinning the toy, will produce an interesting effect to be observed.

In the particular example shown in the drawings, the top is of the type wherein spinning of the body thereof is accomplished by axial movement of a spiral screw through a relatively rotatable nut or collar member which is fixed to the body and is rotated by the screw interengaging therewith. The body carries the expansible skirt in a special manner so that it expands and contracts in accordance with the speed of spinning of the body.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a centrifugally extensible, flexible skirt member for a spinning toy, wherein the skirt member adds to and enhances the curiosity and attractiveness of the toy.

In the accompanying drawings, a plunger-type top of the screw-operated type is disclosed as one example in which my invention can be embodied and in these drawrngs:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the complete top.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken axially through the top, illustrating in full lines the normal retracted position of the flexible skirt and in broken lines, a partially extended position of the skirt.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 with an indication in broken lines of a segment of the skirt in extended condition.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

With reference to the drawings, I have illustrated the spinning top as having the figure of a clown including a body with a collar surrounding its upper end in the form of an extensible and retractable flexible skirt 11. The body 10 is mounted for rotation about its axis on a foot structure or base 12 and is rotated by means of a screw-operating knob or handle 13 at the top thereof.

The body 10 is preferably made of cooperating sections to facilitate manufacture and assembly and the material thereof is preferably a combination of plastic and sheet metal. The body is shown as comprising the lower larger diameter or bowl-like hollow section 14 "ice which has a downwardly extending bearing section 15 fixed thereto for rotation together. The base 12 is also preferably of semi-flexible plastic and has upstanding therefrom a spindle 16 which is fixed therein, and which carries a thrust-washer 17 engaged by the lower pointed end of the bearing 15. The spindle 16 extends upwardly through the bearing 15 and the body section 14 and through a central bearing opening in a disc-like wall 8 extending across the section 14 at its upper edge. The upper edge of the body section 14 is fixed to the lower edge of a hollow frusto-conical body section 19 which is preferably of clear rigid plastic and which has at its upper end an upstanding cylindrical collar section 20. The skirt 11 surrounds and cooperates with this collar section. Across the top of the section 20 and secured to the upper edge thereof is a disc-like cover plate or wall 21. Fixed to this wall and upstanding therefrom is a dome-like member 22.

Disposed on the upper surface of the plate 21, within the lower portion of the dome-like housing member 22, is a disc 23 of relatively soft material such as cardboard. Resting on this disc is the lower end of a frusto-conical nut or ratchet member 24 which is preferably formed with a roughened or serrated lower edge to frictionally engage the cover plate or wall 21 through the disc 23. A cylindrical guide tube 25 of cardboard or the like is positioned between the upper wall of the ratchet member 24 and the dome-like cap member 22. The upper end of the tube 25 aligns with a central opening 26 in the top of the dome-like member 22. Concentric with the axis of the body 10 is a vertical sleeve or tube 28 which extends between the vertically spaced horizontal walls 18 and 21. The lower end of this tube extends into an upwardly opening socket 27 formed concentrically in the wall 18 and its upper end extends through the wall 21 and associated disc 23 and projects into the ratchet member 24. The spindle 16 extends upwardly through the socket 27 and the plate 18 is rotatable relative thereto. The tube 28 is nonrotatable relative to the walls 18 and 21. The tube 28 is fixed in the walls 18 and 21 for rotation therewith and therefore with the entire body 10 relative to the supporting spindle 16.

The actuating knob 13 is nonrotatably fixed on the upper end of the actuating screw 30 which may be made from a flat strip of metal helically twisted about its axis. This screw normally extends downwardly through the tube 25, ratchet member 24 and downwardly through the tube 28 to a point adjacent the upper end of the spindle 16 which projects upwardly into the tube 28 a substantial distance. At a point spaced above the lower extremity of the screw 30, it is provided with a transversely extending stop pin 31. The ratchet member 24 is formed with a transverse top wall which has a slot 32 of proper size and shape to permit the twisted part of the screw 30 to pass therethrough.

The parts so far described are the usual parts provided for a plunger-type top and it operates in the usual way. To spin the top the knob 13 is engaged to pull the screw 30 upwardly. There is a slight clearance between the upper end of the guide tube 25 and the associated upper end of the dome 22 so that friction between the screw 30 and the walls of the slot 32 will lift the ratchet member 24 out of frictional engagement with the plate 21 and permit the member 24 to ratchet within the dome 22 when the knob 13 and screw 30 are drawn upwardly. The screw 30 can be pulled upwardly until the stop pin 31 engages the ratchet member 24 and at this time the lower end of the screw will still extend downwardly, into the upper end of the tube 28. Thus, on the upward stroke of the screw 30, the body 10 is not rotated, but if the screw 30 is now pushed downwardly by means of the knob 13, the

body will be rotated. Pushing downwardly on the screw 36, causes it to move downwardly through the slot 32 and, consequently, to rotate the plate 21 and, therefore, to rotate the entire body 18 to which the plate is fixed. The body will rotate about the axis of the spindle 16 upstanding from the base 12 which supports it. The tube 28 at the axis of the body will turn relative to the screw 30. Continued strokes of the screw will rotate the body at high speed.

As previously indicated, according to this invention, the skirt 11 is applied to the body 10' so that it will extend and contract in accordance with varying degrees of cen-' trifugal force created by rotation of the body 10 at various speeds. The normal constricted position of the skirt is illustrated in FIGURE 1 and by the full line positions of FIGURES 2 and 3. The skirt 11 may be of various flexible sheet materials, such as plastic film, and comprises an outer annular band portion 35 which, when expanded to its maximum diameter, is in a flat plane but when constricted into its normal position around the collar portion of the body 10 is made up of a series of angularly spaced downward folds, pleats or dips 36, the inner ends of which engage the outer cylindrical surface of the portion 20.

To control the extension and retraction or constriction of the band portion 35, the band is provided with a series of angularly spaced, flexible arms or webs 37 which are arranged relative to the band much as the spokes of a wheel (FIGURE 3). These webs 37 are preferably formed integral with the annular band portion 35, being formed from a flat piece of material such as flexible plastic, and their outer ends are connected to the band at angular positions corresponding to the tops of the folds. These webs 37 extend inwardly through horizontal slots 38 (FIGURE 2) which are formed at angularly spaced in tervals in the collar portion 20 of the body 10. The webs 37 extend downwardly from the slots and are anchored at their lower ends to a weight collar which normally is located just above the wall 18 in spaced relationship thereto. This weight collar 40 is mounted on the central tube 23 for guided vertical sliding movement therealong.

Normally with the toy not spinning, the skirt 11 will be retracted or constricted around the body collar section 20. The weight 40 suspended from the webs 37 will draw the skirt inwardly to this position which is indicated in full lines in FIGURES l to 3. As the body 10 and its skirt 11 start to spin, the centrifugal force acting on the outer band portion 35 of the skirt overcomes the weight 40 and causes it to slide upwardly along the tube 28. This permits the skirt 11 to expand radially outwardly and to start to flatten out, as indicated by the broken line position of FIGURE 2. As the centrifugal force increases, the skirt 11 will gradually expand until the band portion 35 thereof is substantially in a fiat plane along with the major portions of the webs 37 which at this time will extend radially, this latter condition being indicated in broken lines in FIGURE 3. At this time, the weight 40 will be raised to a level approaching that of the radial slots 3'8.

As the spinning of the body 10 decreases in speed, the Weight 40 will start to slide downwardly by gravity along the tube 28 thereby exerting an inward pull on the webs 37 to pull the band portion 35 towards its innermost folded or constricted position of minimum extension. The extension and retraction of the skirt 11 in accordance with the speed of rotation of the body 10 will provide a pleasing effect to be observed during spinning of the top and this elfect will be enhanced by having the body portion 19 transparent so that movement of the weight 40 and associated webs 37 can also be observed.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best embodiment. However, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed 15:

1. In a spinning toy; a substantially hollow body rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and including an axially disposed, substantially vertically arranged guide member; a weight mounted for free vertical sliding movement on said guide member; and a skirt of flexible, sheet material having a continuous outer band portion encircling said body and a plurality of inwardly projecting webs extending inwardly of said body and secured to said weight, said weight being arranged normally on said guide member to draw the webs of said skirt inwardly and downwardly into said body and to a position at which the outer band portion of said skirt occupies a relatively retracted position of encirclement about said body, but said weight being movable upwardly on said guide member in response to centrifugal forces acting on said skirt during relatively high speed rotation of said body to per mit the outer band portion of said skirt to move outwardly by centrifugal force to a relatively extended position of encirclement about said body.

2. A spinning toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said body is formed in the upper portion thereof with a plurality of radially outwardly opening slots through which the webs of said skirt are freely slidable, and wherein the outer band port-ion of said skirt is of annular, circular form and the webs of said skirt project radially inwardly from said outer band portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,435,455 2/1948 Kerezi. 2,961,794 11/i1960 Sachs et al 4665 X 3,084,478 4/1963 Burger 46--68 X F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Examiner.

L. I. BOCASSO, T. ZACK, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A SPINNING TOY; A SUBSTANTIALLY HOLLOW BODY ROTATABLE ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS AND INCLUDING AN AXIALLY DISPOSED, SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY ARRANGED GUIDE MEMBER; A WEIGHT MOUNTED FOR FREE VERTICAL SLIDING MOVEMENT ON SAID GUIDE MEMBER; AND A SKIRT OF FLEXIBLE, SHEET MATERIAL HAVING A CONTINUOUS OUTER BAND PORTION ENCIRCLING SAID BODY AND A PLURALITY OF INWARDLY PROJECTING WEBS EXTENDING INWARDLY OF SAID BODY AND SECURED TO SAID WEIGHT, SAID WEIGHT BEING ARRANGED NORMALLY ON SAID GUIDE MEMBER TO DRAW THE WEBS OF AND SKIRT INWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID BODY AND TO A POSITION AT WHICH THE OUTER BAND PORTION OF SAID SKIRT OCCUPIES A RELATIVELY RETRACTED POSITION OF ENCIRCLEMENT ABOUT SAID BOBY, BUT 